Morocco has finalized an agreement with the United States for the purchase of ATACMS missiles, as announced by the U.S. Department of Defense. The contract, valued at $227 million, involves the production of these missiles by Lockheed Martin, a major American defense and aerospace manufacturer. This deal is part of the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program for the fiscal year 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2028.
The ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) manufactured by Lockheed Martin is a short-range tactical ballistic missile known for its impressive precision, with an error margin of less than 10 meters. Capable of being launched from MLRS family systems, including M142 HIMARS and M270, the missile weighs between 1,600 and 2,300 kg depending on the variant and can reach speeds of about Mach 3 (3,700 km/h).